SSSIHMS Whitefield - Five Years of Healing With Love

[Guest guest]

Anantapur district, Andhra Pradesh, never ever contemplated taking his daughter

to a super specialty Hospital, forget getting her treated. When someone told

him of Baba’s Hospital, he too, like many, never believed about the free

treatment part, until… when he came face to face with the huge mansion that was

the Hospital, stepped inside and experienced that the hearts of the people

serving inside were equally large. He immediately felt at ease when he and

his daughter were greeted with smiles by everybody from the registration clerk

to the doctor. On the day of her surgery, the nurses, the technical officers,

the doctors…all seemed so interested in her, “It was a like a family affair, I

never felt I was alone… everybody was with me, concerned about me,” says

Nagaratna now recalling her days in the Hospital. Her father lost all anxieties

when he saw his daughter going to the

operation theatre smiling and later the Hospital staff reassuring him, “Do not

worry…She is going to be alright...it’s only a matter of few hours...Baba will

take care.” The First Surgery of SSSIHMS, WF in Progress...

The First Patient in Smiles After the Operation as Baba Looks at Her...

Looking at her cheery face nobody would have said that she had undergone a

heart operation just a few hours ago, the nurses attending on her say. Her joy

was doubled when Bhagawan Baba Himself visited the ICU just the next day of her

surgery and as He gently moved, cast a kind loving glace on her and then raised

His hands in blessing! Nagaratna was never the same again. You could see an all

new Nagaratna on the day of her discharge - the spring in her step, the smile on

her lips and the confidence on her face to now face life boldly and bravely – it

was as if she got a great blessing unexpected! She was now going to study with

renewed vigour. The

Magnificent Mansion of Hope A casual look at the corridors and corners of the

Hospital on any typical day will show you so many such Nagaratnas, whose

existence society barely acknowledges, let alone comes to their aid, who have

stepped into this magnificent mansion of hope and received help, health and

more importantly, confidence. Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher

Medical Sciences, Whitefield, Bangalore Raju Das, the son of a factory

worker from the state of West Bengal and currently an under graduate student,

who had lost vision in both his eyes because of a brain tumour, having regained

his vision, now says he will continue his graduation and will someday do a Ph.D!

When 20 days old Afsath was

diagnosed with a hole in her heart, her father, a street hawker, and mother, a

servant maid, did not know where to turn to for support. They were simply

devastated! It was as if someone had slapped a capital punishment on them for

eternity…they knew they could never garner the astronomical amount their kid’s

surgery demands. Years rolled by and they had accepted their fate until one

day… when they met one of Baba's devotees. He told them about Baba’s Hospital

in Whitefield. They did not have enough money even to travel to Whitefield!

They bought the tickets with borrowed money! Today, Afsath in the pink of her

health and with a benign smile on her face, says, “I want to become a doctor!”

Isn’t it stirring? “It’s a Magnificent Palace-Cum-Temple” – Sri A B Vajpayee,

Former Prime Minister of India. There is no dearth of such heart-touching

stories in this ‘heaven of health’ for the poor…so many such Nagaratnas, Rajus

and Afsaths have come in hundreds and thousands since this Hospital came into

existence on the 19th of Jan, 2001. All these beautiful people have left behind

tales for all of humanity, each one more soul-stirring than the other. On the

inauguration day, five years ago, the then Prime Minister of India, Sri A B

Vajpayee had said, “It is no Hospital or hi-tech Hospital, it is a magnificent

palace-cum-temple.” Yes, it is a palace…a ‘palace for the poor’ and a ‘temple

of healing’ for all. What makes this Hospital so special? For this, let’s go

down the memory lane of time to the very first day of this Hospital and listen

to the words of Bhagawan Baba, the divine initiator and the sole

inspiration of this wonderful edifice. Swami with Sri A

B Vajpayee to His right during the Inauguration Ceremony of SSSIHMS, WF

Bhagawan Baba had said on the day of the Inauguration, “This

(Hospital) is not operating for financial gains. All medicines here will be

free. Doctors should understand that it is not medicines alone but God’s grace

that cures patients. While this building is imposing from the outside, it will

also confer inner bliss. This Hospital has a divine quality that will draw the

whole world to it. We should see to it that there are no heart diseases (at

least) in Karnataka. Doctors should win over the minds of the patients by

talking to them with compassion and concern, the diseases are half cured when

the doctors win over the minds of patients by talking to them with love and

consideration. The doctors should administer the injection of courage and

encouragement. Compassion is more important than money. Some doctors wonder

how we can treat patients free of charge. You can work wonders with purity of

heart. Any work which is started with purity of heart is bound to succeed.

Money flows if your work is suffused with love and Sacrifice.

People will volunteer with adequate funds to support any noble endeavour.” The

Divine Declaration Unfolding… And true to Baba’s words, since its inception

the Hospital has operated on more than 11,000 patients with various heart,

brain and spinal disorders, all absolutely free! In the words of Michael Nobel,

Chairman of the Board of the Nobel Family Society and great grandnephew of

Alfred Nobel, who visited the Hospital on 19th Jan, 2002, “A truly

remarkable achievement! A one of a kind combination of hi-tech, state of the

art medical facility

offering the top-of-the-line treatment for free to the masses of the people who

would never normally have such a chance in life. An awe-inspiring achievement!

Thank you (Baba) on behalf of mankind.” - Michael Nobel A little more than a

year ago, Dr. Fazilah Allahdin, Deputy Director, Ministry of Health, Malaysia,

visited the Hospital, and before taking leave she wrote this in the visitors’

book, “It has been a

privilege to visit this Hospital where there is so much devotion, passion and

love. It makes me realise that money is not everything after all. Keep up the

good work and continue to serve the people! God bless all of you.” - Dr.

Fazilah Allahdin Devotion, passion and love. Yes, this is the bedrock on

which patient care in this Hospital stands!! The treatment of a patient has

essentially no relationship with the economic soundness or social background of

the patient. His/her religion, country or culture too does not

matter. Sukriti Sharma, an eight-month-old baby girl from Kathmandu, Nepal,

underwent a surgery to correct a congenital cardiac defect – totally free in

2003. P N Mishra, a 56-year old man from Nimapara, a village in the state of

Orissa, India, had a heart valve replaced without paying a single penny, a few

months ago. Jim from Trinidad chose to fly down to the South Indian City of

Bangalore for a by-pass surgery instead of heading for the US or London.

COSTS AND PATIENT CARE What’s Special in Baba’s Hospital? Why are people

from different regions and countries converging in this Hospital? Is it only

because it is totally free? Partly, yes. The poor come here because they just

cannot afford to go anywhere else. We know how expensive specialized healthcare

is! A simple heart procedure anywhere in India will cost between Rs. 50,000 to

1,50,000. Same with closing a hole in the heart, or correcting a valve and many

other such operations, while a heart valve replacement will be close to Rs.

2,00,000. If you take the case of Neuro-Surgery which demands very high skills

from surgeons dealing with the nerves and tissues inside the brain, surgeries

range from Rs. 1,00,000 to 3,00,000. But, Baba’s Hospitals, both in Bangalore

and Puttaparthi, are perhaps, the only Hospitals in the world which run without

a billing system! Many wonder, how is it possible? The same question was asked

by Felix Wust (Mr. FW), editor of SWISS MED - The Swiss Review for Medicine and

Medical Technique - to Dr. A N Safaya (Dr. ANS), Director of the Hospital, in

an interview few months ago. Here are Dr. Safaya's words. Dr.

Safaya, The Director of SSSIHMS, in

conversation with Felix Wust, Editor of SWISSMED SWISSMED 27, (2005) Nr. 1

Mr. FW: When you spoke about the medical disciplines in your hospitals you said

you provide the treatment completely free. This is rather astonishing. I may

say almost unbelievable – and not everybody’s cup of tea in our Western

countries! Dr. ANS: I expected this question. The free treatment is mainly

possible due to donations – small and large donations – made by the devotees of

Sathya Sai Baba from

all over the world. These donations go into a Trust which is called the Sri

Sathya Sai Medical Trust. This Sri Sathya Sai Medical Trust has a certain

amount of money placed in the banks as its corpus fund that supports the

day-to-day activities of both our hospitals. The two hospitals require about 2

crores of Rupees every month. Of course, a rigid cost control, cost engineering

and continuous innovation help us cut the costs. In addition to these donations,

some people make contributions (in kind) for a particular purpose. MR. FW: And

you do not take any direct action in acquiring such donations?Dr. ANS: No, we

don’t, they just come. You need a Sathya Sai Baba to be in the centre of this

picture.

Without him, all this would probably not have been possible." But the

completely free treatment aspect is only, as previously mentioned, part of the

story. The most important other half is the quality of care – technologically

and otherwise offered at the Hospital. INSPIRED STAFF AND PATIENT CARE

It’s Not Just Free, It’s of High Quality! Mr. Lalitbhai Vadilal Parekh, from

Pune, India who underwent

a heart operation in the Hospital a few months ago, says, “After seeing all the

facilities available there, I felt as if I was in a 5 star hotel and not a

Hospital. What a beautiful and imposing building it is! It is equally clean,

well ventilated and comfortable.The volunteers, doctors and nurses greet you

with an “Om Sri Sai Ram” in a polite manner and are always ready at your

service. It feels like one has come into a temple.” Two years ago, when

Lalitbhai developed chest pain, he underwent angiography (a diagnostic test) in

a local Hospital paying Rs. 20,000 and he was told he would need a bypass

surgery. His condition worsened with time and he would become breathless while

walking. When he did another test in 2003, he drowned in distress because the

local doctors told him to get the surgery done in a matter of 8 days!

Approximate cost of surgery – Rs. 2,00,000!! Knowing fully well he could

never afford the treatment, Lalitbhai tried other alternative medicine such as

homeopathy, but all in vain. It was at this time that he learnt about Baba’s

Hospital. Successfully operated upon and now immensely glad and grateful,

Lalitbhai, wrote in “Jain Jagruthi” (July 2004 Issue), a Marathi magazine from

Pune, “In this Hospital patients are looked after just like guests. There is a

spirit of service to mankind in each one of the staff members. They do their

service in a most selfless and devoted manner. Honestly, I felt and saw God in

each one of them in this ‘Kaliyug’….All treatments are absolutely free! Each

patient who goes

there is given friendly and polite service by the staff that is always so

courteous.” Recalling the kind attention given by doctors, he further adds,

“After a 45 minute angioplasty…I was discharged within a day. The doctors

advised me about the course of action to be taken in future, the care, diet and

exercise and also about keeping a philosophical attitude in life as that leads

to one’s progress. It was as if, I had been reborn again.” Tremendous

Commitment – Be it Doctors or Nurses Truly, it is the dedication and passion

with which the doctors and nurses work, that distinguishes this Hospital. For

example, when Joseph (name changed) was operated upon for a complex Neuro

Surgical procedure called "Aneurysm clipping", the Neuro Surgeon was in the

Operation Theatre for – hold your breath - 20 hours! He did not come out for a

sip of coffee or even water! And the amazing part is that when the surgery was

finally over, the surgeon chose to go to the wards and do his regular rounds

seeing the progress of the post operative patients and giving instructions to

the nurses. Only after he had done this to his satisfaction, did he go to have

some food and catch some sleep! Any Hospital with doctors like this would do

wonders, wouldn't it? A Cardiac Surgery in progress... Neuro

Surgeons at work... It is not only the doctors; the nurses and all the other

support staff are equally an enthused lot. The mission and inspiration of Baba

rubs on all of them. There are so many instances when

the nurses have given money from their own purse for the patient to return home

because they are so poor! There are patients who come to the Hospital selling

their land and property just to pay for the travel expense and all the staff in

the Hospital are very sensitive to their problems. When the barber who was meant

to shave the head of a patient meant for neuro surgery could not make it in

time, one nurse did not hesitate to don the barber’s role! Nothing is inferior

or mean when it comes to patient’s welfare. Nobody asks the nurses to get

comics for kids or walkmans for youngsters in the ward. They just do it. In

fact, when one patient wanted petroleum jelly for her skin, a nurse did not

hesitate giving her own cold cream! There are hundreds of daily

incidents like this…all small but the impact on the patient is never small. They

feel the Hospital is another home. In fact, there are many patients - Abduls

and Anands – who have shed tears during their discharge. For, dieticians in

which other Hospital will come three times a day and ask you if the food is ok,

if you wanted any change in your menu and explain to you why you have to take a

particular diet - and that too, all free! Where else will you find volunteers

eager to help in every activity inside the Hospital including taking you to the

bathroom, even if it is in the middle of night! No wonder, for poor patients, it

is nothing less than a paradise. “It’s Alladin’s Magic Lamp for the Poor”

– Lalitbhai, a Former Patient Lalitbhai, the former patient, continues to say,

“For receiving all the care, I did not have to shell out a single penny. Along

with this, I also got a ‘Rate Concession Form for Heart Patient’ as a result of

which my railway fare was only one-fourth. Thus, I was benefited greatly by this

form, I doubt if there is any other organization that does so much.” Before he

ended his article, Mr. Lalitbhai clearly spelt out why he had written those

words saying, “The organization and management of such an institute is truly

an example for the world to follow. This is truly a god sent boon for the needy

… it is a magic lamp – Alladin’s magic map - for people suffering from heart and

brain diseases in this age and I myself have experienced this, an experience

that changed my life. I feel that everyone should benefit from such selfless

work. This is the reason behind writing this article.” Kids Can Play In

The Wards Too!

A playground for kids in the ward designed and maintained by the nurses.

It is this familial care which has changed so many lives and which continuously

draws people from far and beyond to this Hospital. The Hospital makes no

publicity on its own. The good word spreads. In fact, a Nepal Newspaper “The

Rising” carried an article “Sathya Sai Institute – In the Service of Mankind”

mentioning how so many Nepalese have been touched by the loving care delivered

in the

Hospital. South African newspaper "The Citizen" (left) and Nepalese

Newspaper "The Rising" carry good news about Baba's Hospital Similarly, a

South African paper, “The Citizen” reported

six months after the inauguration of the Hospital in 2001, “While South Africa

struggles with a public health service which is turning into a nightmare –

cruelly selfish nurses, thieving doctors and hospitals which breed infection….a

medical miracle is taking place in India which should serve as an inspiration

and an example to us….They demonstrate that simultaneous compassion and

efficiency in healthcare is not a pipedream.” “Patient is a Full Human Being,

Not a Disease’ – Dr. Sreedhar This Hospital is truly a dream turned into

reality. It is what men of great character and concern for people like Gandhiji

and Swami Vivekananda had envisaged for India. A structure which not only heals

the body, but also quietens the mind and

energizes the soul. “The unique aspect of this Hospital is that, in all

departments, patients are treated as a full human being rather than as a

disease. The philosophy of ‘love all serve all’ rubs on all who work in the

Hospital and every member of the staff tries to help the patients in their own

way starting from guiding them to the right place in the Hospital till helping

them to find an accommodation for their over night stay, giving priority to

out-station poor patients. Nothing but Swami’s blessings enable us in doing

this pious task with such

contagious zeal,” says Dr. Sreedhar, the Chief Radiologist of the Hospital.

Bhagirath from New Delhi who had her only daughter’s valve replaced here a few

months back says, “The treatment here is not only for the body but also for the

mind.” This happens because of a number of salient features of the Hospital

starting with technologically high quality patient care to the dedicated team

of doctors and volunteers to the sublime spiritual ambience of the Hospital.

SOPHISTICATED TECHNOLOGY AND PATIENT CARE Often ill-informed people jump to

conclusions that as the treatment given is totally free (the patient is not

asked money for anything even for food), the treatment in this Hospital must be

substandard. The fact is though that the Hospital is counted among the best in

Bangalore, the “Silicon Valley” of India and it has many firsts to its credit

as far as patient care and medical infrastructure is concerned. Baba often

says, “Since it is free, it should be the best.” And best it is, no doubt,

equipped with the most modern medical equipment available in the field of

Cardiology and Neuro Sciences. Just to give a few instances - The Stealth

Neuro Navigation System (for image guided surgery), the latest technology in

precision neuro surgery which borrows its concept from the Global Positioning

System technology used to map geographical dimensions

using satellites, arrived at the Hospital just a few months after its

inauguration and is being used by the Neuro Surgery team of the Hospital. Many

would not know that the Hospital is the first in Asia and second in the world

to have such a sophisticated facility. This facility makes the surgery safe,

especially in cases where the tumour is close to the speech or other critical

areas of the brain. “This makes the procedure less invasive and the skull won’t

be cut beyond what is required,” says, Dr. A S Hegde, the Head of Neuro Surgery

Department of the Hospital. Similarly, the Neuro-interventional

catheterization lab (or in short Neuro Cath Lab), with its biplane feature,

allows for imaging in two planes simultaneously and ensures that the contrast

dose to the patient is kept to a minimum. Only a few select Hospitals in India

have this.

Coming to Radiology, the 1.5 Tesla GE Signa Horizon Lxi MRI system used

for MRI scans is at the forefront of medical imaging technology and is one of

the few available in India. This helps in efficient diagnosis and faster cure

as it is a crucial aid in diagnostic radiology and allows high resolution

images with a shorter exam time. The GE Signa 1.5 tesla machine:

One of the few in India Volume Zoom Multidetector Multislice CAT scanner

Again, the CT scanner which is a Volume Zoom Multidetector Multislice CAT

scanner represents a new generation in Computerized Tomography (CT) technology

and is the first such installation in South India. Its amazing speed and

resolution allow for highly accurate imaging, particularly of vascular

structures, and the cardiology department has performed some very high quality

CT

angiograms (visualization of blood vessels). Likewise, the dual-headed SPECT

Gamma camera present in the Hospital is the latest technology in the field of

Nuclear Medicine, which is equipped to detect functional abnormalities in heart

and in the brain non-invasively. Moving on to the Laboratory, the

Biochemistry department has a Beckman Coulter cx9 ALX clinical system which can

perform the tasks of 7 to 8 testing machines and can analyze 900 bio-chemical

tests per hour! This speed enables doctors can diagnose the patients better and

quicker. Similarly, the blood bank of the Hospital operates a Blood

Componenting system which separates the various components of blood like

plasma, platelets and red cells under sterile conditions and then stores them

at specific temperatures for use during operations - a practice performed only

in premier Hospitals. Beckman Coulter cx9 ALX - 900 lab tests per hour!

Only those components that are of therapeutic value to the patient are

transfused. As a result of this the blood bank makes optimum utilization of the

blood donated. For example, in the period of 10 months (Jan-Oct 2003) the blood

bank collected 3,141 units of blood but they were able to prepare many

more components, namely 4,714. One will be surprised to know that this blood

bank receives 98% of its stock through donations which perhaps happens in no

other hospital in Bangalore, or maybe even in India. Again, the Column

Agglutination Technology used in the blood bank for cross matching blood

components is the among the latest technology in the field and is used by less

than 1% of hospitals - those considered the best in the country. Ably

assisting all this sophisticated equipments is a robust IT (Information

Technology) system and network. With a 1 Gbps fiber optic cable which networks

the entire Hospital and the ancillary buildings, the network has the

potential to enable doctors to access the vital signs of the patients even from

the their home. There are close to 10 servers and 80 client computers connected

to the network. The Hospital Management Information System, MEDICOM,

comprising of over 60 modules, not only enables easy patient tracking, fast

access of the patient information, from anywhere in the Hospital, but also

enables some of the medical equipment to ‘talk’ with the computers thereby

allowing the doctors to order tests, see results, etc. online. In fact,

comparing

the IT deployment in the Hospital with other hospitals in Bangalore, the Times

of India, India’s largest English daily, said, "Times of India"

praises SSSIHMS, WF'sIT Deployment “According to an independent healthcare

consultant firm, 75% of the tech deployment in the city’s healthcare sector is

focused on administrative

activities, including billing and patient management. There is no emphasis on

customer relationship and systems integration…the study found the highest tech

deployment in Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Medical Sciences.” There are good

reasons for this assessment by the consulting firm and here are a few

highlights of how the Hospital has effectively embraced IT in delivering better

patient care. Unlike conventional procedure where CT and MRI images are

printed on films, in this Hospital all the scanned images are electronically

transmitted to the doctor’s desktop PC immediately upon completion of the scan

by the Radiology department. Not only does this help in speedy and effective

diagnosis, it also reduces consumption of films by 90%, which is a huge saving!

On the

same lines, all the blood samples are bar-coded and fed directly into the

electronic analysers in the lab. On successful completion of the ordered tests,

the analysers feed the results directly into the patient management software

which displays the results directly to the requesting doctor/nurse without any

human intervention, and more importantly, without any loss of time which is so

important. Similarly, a lot can be said about the indigenously developed

sophisticated stores management system which enables all the sub-stores to

maintain a very lean inventory and also place their indents to the main store

electronically; or, the intuitive software interface designed specially for the

doctors which mimic the usual pre-printed forms which doctors are accustomed to;

or, the speedy electronic collation of all the information relevant for the

discharge summary of

the patient and hence a quick discharge report; or even the reliable and

effective patient wait-list management (uniquely this Hospital has a waiting

list for surgeries because of the enormous number of people it receives

everyday). Dr. Nandita Ghosal, In-Charge of Blood Bank, says, “The

laboratory has become “paperless” as the results of patient blood profiles and

a host of other tests directly go into the patient information system from the

automated coulter cell counter and other machines and the information is

available for all the doctors to see in any computer all over the Hospital.”

But that is not what Dr. Nandita says is unique to the Hospital, “The

sophisticated equipment along with the pleasant ambience here makes

blood donations a pleasant experience for the donors.” The Hospital donor

statistics (98% by volunteer donors) bear testimony to this fact. Through

word of mouth and with little or no publicity, Sai devotees, students from

various colleges and even corporate executives from in and around Bangalore

most willingly drop in and offer to contribute their blood. In fact, there are

instances when former patients of the Hospital who are very poor have come

forward to offer blood saying, “We are very poor…this is the only way we can

give something back to this Hospital.” Of course, the blood bank never accepts

blood from former patients, but those scenes remain ever fresh in the memory of

the staff, inspiring them and giving them a sense of fulfillment. A Blood

Bank store PATIENT TRANSFORMATION ALONG WITH PATIENT TREATMENT What the

Visiting British MPs Said A little more than a year ago, when eight British

Ministers of Parliament (MPs) from the Conservative Party visited the

Institute on 28th of September, 2004, the delegation spent close to two hours

visiting the Institute. They went around the outpatient departments, wards,

radiology, lab and blood-bank and finally Mr. Peter Luff, Conservative Party MP

and the Opposition Whip said to the Press reporters, “This Hospital is

a beacon of hope for the economically weaker sections and it is as good as any

facility in the

UK.” - Mr. Peter Luff, Conservative Party, MP. Further, very appreciative of the

architecture of the Hospital, they said, this Hospital “changes the lives of

those who come here.” Indeed, innumerable are stories of people - be it a

patient, a patient-attender or just a visitor – who have left this Hospital

recharged with life and energy, and reconnected with the inner recesses of

their own being. British MPs With Dr. Safaya, the Director

Lives Changed…Some More Vignettes Sabeena’s father, who washes dishes in a

restaurant for a living, toils hard to provide education to his

thirteen-year-old, his only daughter. When she complained of poor health, his

agony was unimaginable. Someone told him of Baba’s Hospital, and the rest is

history…Sabeena, is now in all smiles after a successful closure of hole in her

heart and a Mitral Valve repair. His father’s joy is, in fact, doubled. His only

child has got a new life! There is a unique case in the Hospital records

pertaining to three members of a Muslim family—two sisters

and one brother—all three suffering from congenital heart disease. Imagine

the plight of the poor father with three out of four children suffering from a

malady that can be cured only by medical intervention. Sabeena with her

mother...yet another life saved All three of them had breathing problems and

difficulties while walking. The condition was diagnosed to be Patent Ductus

Arteriosus, commonly called

PDA. Like any disease its progress only foretold a limited quality of life for

all the three children. The father was absolutely clueless. He ran from pillar

to post to raise funds for his children. He took them to Mangalore, about 80

kms away from his town to consult a Cardiologist. It was at this juncture, that

he came to know about Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Medical Sciences,

Bangalore. He brought all his three children to the Hospital in 2001 for check

ups and treatment. All these three children were operated upon for PDA and now

they are all healthy and happy and of course, very grateful to the Hospital.

“I had never even dreamt of leading a normal life,” is all Savitha, aged

40, would say with a choked voice. Savitha could not get married because of her

heart ailment and lives with her younger brother’s family while her elder

brother is mentally retarded. The successful operation on her rheumatic heart

disease has now opened up for her a host of opportunities and now she is

planning her future and looking for a job which will to some extent, at least,

better their tragic condition. "I had never even dreamt..." - Savitha

“An Overwhelming Experience!” – Tina Ambani Tina Ambani, former actress

and wife of corporate czar, Anil Ambani, wrote in the visitor’s book on 31st

July 2004: “It has been an overwhelming experience! I am speechless,

expressionless. Your devotion to humanity is unreal - till you see it,

experience it. May god give this vision to more people.” “I Will Not

Hesitate For Even My Family Members To Get Help Here.” – Dr. Lalit Chauhan

Dr Lalit Chauhan, Cardiology Consultant from St Louis, Missouri in the USA

says, “My five days here was my first visit to this unique institution. This

place combines in the most comprehensive way professional tertiary care,

arranging healthcare delivery system and a set of uniquely dedicated

individuals

working selflessly,” says Dr. Lalit Chauhan, “the quality of care here is so

good and up to the best institutions that I will not hesitate for even my

family members to get help if they happen to be here and need it. May the

reality of this place be a role model for the rest of the world.” Hundreds

Transformed Everyday… Everyday hundreds of such people find new meaning in

their lives, sport a smile which they haven’t for years and thank God that this

Hospital exists. This Hospital indubitably changes them for ever, for the

better. Some begin to live a fuller life while some begin to rethink about the

actual purpose of

life. So many lives changed...so many smiles Ask Ahmed the bus

driver who after his operation

expressed his desire to help transport patients to the Hospital. Ask Dilip, who

refused to go back to his profession as a butcher after his little Sharira

Bhanu was operated here. Ask the student who returned again and again to

physically assist other patients as they recuperated after surgery. "I know how

it feels" was his simple reply. It is the blend of aesthetic appeal, functional

effectiveness, practical efficiency and spiritual sublimity, as the Hospital

brochure states, which consciously and subconsciously touches and leaves a mark

in the inner recesses of every one who steps into this hallowed Temple of

Healing. Before the British MPs left, they penned down in the visitors’

book: “Thank you for giving us such a fascinating tour of a truly extraordinary

Hospital.” “An Impressive Healthcare Facility” – Ferid Murad, Nobel Laureate

Ferid Murad, Nobel Laureate in Medicine, 1998 from the University of Texas

Medical School at Houston, USA also had similar feelings to express. After he

took a tour of the Hospital and its work, he said on Nov 18th, 2003,

“Thank you for the

tour of your Hospital and clinics. This is a very beautiful and impressive

healthcare facility that promises free medical care. I congratulate the

Hospital and Swami for such an important mission.” - Ferid Murad, Nobel

Laureate, 1998. SUBLIME AMBIENCE AND PATIENT CARE “Healthcare in God’s

Service” – Dr. Mitchell Krucoff Dr. Mitchell W Krucoff, Professor of

Medicine/Cardiology, Interventional Cardiology, Duke University Medical Centre

and Director, Cardiovascular Laboratories, Durham VA Medical Centre, (both in

the US) visited Baba’s Hospital along with his team of professionals and this

is what he records, “We literally were bathed in the healing space created

through Baba’s loving vision, embedded in every detail from the concrete to the

gleaming marble floors, in every person from the staff to the patients and their

families. What we saw was the highest level of technology, with some equipment

even newer than the equipment we use at Duke Medical centre. But the technology

was dwarfed by the

context into which everything in the Hospital dwelled – healthcare in God’s

service. Among the staff, whether cleaning or cooking or doing open heart

surgery, all work was done in God’s service. Among the patients and families,

many of whom had never seen a plumbing fixture, much less a digital cardiac

catheterization laboratory, there was no fear, no anxiety, no depression as we

commonly see on rounds in the USA. As we rounded in…every patient and family

member, children and adults, literally beamed at us. They clearly knew that,

physically and spiritually, they were in God’s Hospital.” This extract truly

sums up the ambience of the Hospital. It is this ambience which is responsible

for the Hospital’s success and which has been ratified by almost everyone who

has seen and been in this ‘Temple of Healing’ including visiting doctors and

experts. Conversation Between Dr. Nadana Chandran and Dr. Choudhury V It

is interesting to learn what Dr. Nadana Chandran (Dr. NC), Director of the

Neurosurgical Unit, Canberra Hospital, Australia, who spent 2 1/2 weeks in 2005

serving in the Neurosciences Department, said in an interview with Dr. Choudhury

V (Dr. VC), another distinguished Cardiac surgeon, from USA. Dr. NC: I

walked into the ward the other day after we did some major cases and I was

amazed at the state of recovery of the patients; it was far ahead of what I

would normally see. This is no exaggeration. This is purely something very

striking in this place. People recover that well. I am sure it is all the Grace

of Swami. Dr. Nadana Chandran Of course there is the human skill of the

people who are working here, and dedicating themselves to the work here, but

there’s something beyond that, of course. Dr. VC: The other thing (apart from

‘divine grace’) which impressed me when I used to actively work here, was the

fact that the patient does not have to pay any money, everything comes free to

him, and when he came in he looked at himself and everybody else in a different

way. How do you view that? Who Says There is “No

Free Lunch” – Dr. Choudhury Dr. NC: I come from an environment where medicine

is largely driven by money. And, here you see for the first time somebody who

can walk in and have the most highly advanced, technologically sophisticated

service available with no worry about any money and I am amazed to see people

coming all the way after 3 days’ travel, from Calcutta and other places to get

the treatment done. Dr. VC: Till 2001, I used to practise cardiac surgery in

Los Angeles and I used to work for 3 months in Swami’s Hospital. Now the thing

that amazed me was technologically, over here, even simple things like blood

cardioplegia

which is a technological advancement, we would do exactly the same thing in

Swami’s Hospital. Our tendency is to normally associate something free to be

cheap. That was my impression. When I came here I found that the “No free

lunch” concept in totally untrue in this environment. "Toddlers' Only"

Zone In The Out Patient Department In the recent times, the Hospital has

“reengineered” its processes in the Cardiac Out Patient department –

Indubitably, the most crowded place in the Hospital everyday mid-morning where

on an average at least 220 patients and their attenders, await for various

tests, reports or consultation. For the toddlers, there is a “Toddlers Only”

zone where their mothers can nurse them and they can ‘relax’ and play with

interactive soft toys (which, incidentally have been sent by Bhagawan Baba

Himself recently). This room has been done up with colourful wall paper,

cartoons and stickers, entirely by the staff of the department. It

is now a hot-favourite amongst the tiny-tots! Apart from this, there are

audio-visual systems set up in patient waiting areas and various films of

Bhagawan, His discourses and proceedings during various festivals in

Puttaparthi are being shown. This medium is also used to screen videos on

patient-education, counseling, preventive medicine, and so on in regional

languages. Dr. NC: In fact, I must confess that we don’t have some of the

equipment in the Theatres here, in many of the Hospitals in Australia. So, it

is really amazing to see this degree of technology available for our patients,

who have to pay nothing at all. It is really very, very rewarding. Dr.

VC: Ten years ago, I heard from Swami, we should not treat the patient as a

disease, but we should treat the mind, body and the soul. And, that to me, is

the biggest message I got from Swami from here. Dr. NC: Yes, and you can feel

that when you hear the bhajans and the soothing music that is piped right

through. Sometimes Swami’s discourses are heard when you’re operating, which is

quite different to the environment where I normally work. Certainly, it is a

very spiritually healing place. Talking about the ambience and

experience of working in the Hospital, the common refrain of every doctor who

has served or is currently serving is - “This is a totally different place to

work. It is very humbling”. Dr. Hegde, a very distinguished Neuro Surgeon of

India who heads the Department of Neuro Sciences in the Hospital, says, “We do

what is best for the

patient. The economic factors do not influence the patient management

decision….there is none of the all-too-common feeling of helplessness that poor

patients have when they are unable to afford treatment. COUNSELING AND

PATIENT CARE Counseling Department: One-of-a-Kind Once the patients step

inside the Hospital, they are reassured and relaxed. They

know the Hospital wants nothing from them in return. Providing comfort and

confidence and lending a patient ear to all their worries and anxieties is

another very unique service wing of the Hospital - the Counseling Department.

This department, if not unique in its concept, is surely intuitively

exceptional and one-of-a-kind in its approach and impact. Their fundamental

tenets - “Help Ever, Hurt Never” and “Love All Serve All” inspired by Baba.

The counselors of the Hospital provide the non-medical but equally vital

emotional support to the patients. Describing their work, a counselor says, “On

admission the patients have different apprehensions as

to their stay in the Hospital – at this point we appraise them of the good care

available, assuring them of the doctor’s expertise and competence along with

free care provided by Bhagawan Baba and they relax instantly.” Prithvi Pani,

who underwent neuro surgery for removal of a tumour, says, “My nine days stay

at the SSSIHMS was a divine holiday. In fact I never had the feeling that I was

a patient. In a surgery it is fear that haunts you more than the diseases. But

here I must admit that from the time of admission the fear had gone and a

subtle peace of mind transcended on me. The state of mind has to be experienced

to be believed.

Although I have profound faith in God, the moment I entered this divine medical

centre, I began to admire Baba for his selfless service to mankind, through his

philosophy of “Love All Serve All”. Every person admitted to this Institute,

however poor or rich, is taken care of without any discrimination. The medical

service is supreme. A missionary zeal can be seen in every individual serving

this Institute and this clearly shows the heartiness of this Divine soul, Sri

Sathya Sai Baba who infuses such dynamism into every person serving here.”

A Letter From A Patient To The

Counseling Department Sairam, Loving letter from Menaka. I am a 1st Year

M.Sc. (Microbiology) student from Kanchipuram. On 4th June 2005, I was admitted

to Sathya Sai Hospital at Bangalore. Next day morning I was operated

successfully. I am healthy now. Recently I had revisited the Hospital for a

follow-up checkup. Doctors informed that there is no problem. I am able to lead

a normal life. Regarding the Hospital: I was well-taken

care in the Hospital during my week long stay. The courtesy, love and words that

I enjoyed there will not be possible even with money elsewhere. Sevadals

conducted themselves gracefully. I did not know any of the people working in

the Hospital as I was completely new, still they took care of us nicely. So

much of care and love is not possible elsewhere! Pages would not be enough if I

were to write about the doctors. If not for them, will I be writing this letter?

I see these doctors as a form of GOD to save the lives of the sick...Doctors

were very humble and believed that all of us are equal in the eyes of Baba.

Baba has given me a rebirth. It is because of Baba I am alive now!! This

operation would have cost lakhs of rupees elsewhere, but was done completely

free at this Hospital. I

really doubt if I would have recovered this well even if I were to shell out

money.... I would be grateful for the rest of my life, for my very existence is

their benevolence. I am serving my locality and also meditating as per your

advice. All these make me feel healthy and strong. Many a thanks for your

service!... I will be in touch regularly through letters. Yours loving,V.

Maneka25 November, 2005 Counseling and Spiritual Healing The

counselors

meet all the in-patients individually, either in the counseling room or at their

bedsides in the wards. They quickly establish a rapport not only with the

patient but also with the immediate family members by informal interaction and

by speaking to them in their own language or one familiar to them…. Counseling

compliments the modern medicine and surgery process through spiritual healing.

Mind is the seat of all emotions and feelings and Baba says, in fact, it

is the mind which is the root cause of 98% of all ailments. By generating

positive thoughts in the patients, the counselors help

in maintaining good health of the patients in the post-operative recovery

period. “On the bedside rounds we see some patients going through great pain

and suffering with all the care given. They are looking for solace and comfort.

A small prayer to the divine here, together with the patient, releases all pain

and tensions – result, the patient falls off to sleep. This is a divine

painkiller and we have experienced this several times,” say the counselors who

work voluntarily in the Hospital in a spirit of selfless service because of

their love for Baba. In fact, this pure love for Baba expressing itself as

selfless service and the satisfaction derived there from is the

biggest motivating factor for everyone associated with the Hospital. It is this

ennobling feeling which makes many suppliers of various items needed by the

Hospital offer their products free. The dockyard worker in Bangalore may be

used to tobacco, hard work and harder words but when it comes to unloading

equipments meant for the Hospital, he takes only half the payment saying, “This

is my small contribution to what Baba is doing for humanity!” There are many who

choose to remain anonymous and silently contribute their might to the Hospital

in whatever way they can, as for them it is only an offering to their lord.

SERVICE BY VOLUNTEERS AND PATIENT CARE

Sai Volunteers – The Spinal Cord of the Hospital One of the most committed

and caring among these group of selfless workers are the Sevadals – dedicated

teams of volunteers belonging to various Sathya Sai centres all over from the

state of Karnataka, who come for short periods of one week and lend their eager

and earnest support in the running and upkeep of the Bangalore Hospital.

If the corridors in the Hospital

shine and the walls of the wards and offices look bright, it is because of the

Sevadals. If the gates of the Hospital are well-guarded round the clock and

there is discipline in the Hospital with the patients being guided to the right

service department at every step - again it is because these volunteers never

mind hard work. It is the sevadals who lovingly serve food to every single

patient. It is they who wash and iron patients' clothes in the laundry. It is

also they who escort and help patients and carry their blood samples to the

respective laboratories. As Dr. Safaya, the Director of the Hospital, says,

“They are the Hospital’s in-house mailing system - most robust and trusted.”

One cannot imagine the Hospital the way it is without

them even for a single day. They add life, vigor and ability to every wing of

the Hospital. Sevadals ironing patients' clothes Can you ever imagine

an IAS officer [senior Government official] rubbing shoulders with a school

teacher and both scrubbing the floors? Or an Air Marshal of the Indian Air

Force doing guard duty at the main gate? Or for that matter, the executive of a

company carrying the soiled clothes of a patient to the laundry? It happens in

Baba’s Hospital daily. “Sevadals Change the Quality of Patient Care” – Dr.

Geeta Rangan Expressing how the Sevadals change the quality of patient care,

Dr. Geeta Rangan, who worked previously in many government and other private

hospitals before joining as the head of the Neurology Department of Baba’s

Hospital, says, "Our Bhagawan’s Hospital does away with all the

weakness in our different systems of health care. I was pleasantly surprised to

see how the Seva Dal take care of the mundane aspects such as reception,

guidance of the patients, and even paramedical aspects, without the usual

shouting, screaming and exchange of unpleasantries. Instead, there is a quiet

atmosphere in which to function, where a troublesome patient can be handed over

to a psychological advice group while one concentrates on the next needy

individual.” Testimony of a Sevadal Quite happily and with enthusiasm,

every Seva Dal accepts his position

with a smile and works anywhere. Mr. Prakash Chittaranjan, a longtime volunteer,

recollecting his first days of service and says, “The whole Hospital seemed a

crystal maze for me at the beginning, not knowing where each lab and other

departments were within such a gigantic Hospital complex. But Swami kept

telling me from within that He was there to guide me as ever, through his

loving Hospital staff (Sisters, Doctors and administrators). I was able to feel

the Unity, Purity and Divinity principle that Swami often talks about, which led

me to interact well and share my love with the patients and the staff.

Patients from all classes and religions were being treated in this Hospital

lovingly and for free. There were smiles all around from the patients and their

relatives at the time of

discharge, for they were fully charged with Swami's ocean of love. This was a

wonderful gift from Bhagawan to me, whose experience I will ever cherish in my

life. As I entered into the last day of Seva, I was beginning to feel heavy

hearted for I was about to be rudely woken up from the short and sweet dream. A

dream that I wished should never end, deep within my heart. All I wanted to do

then was to thank SAI for providing such a wonderful and spiritually

enlightening experience and for making me be close to him as part of the

overall experience.” This is the sublime feeling with which the Sevadals give

their energy and time to the Hospital. They see Baba in everyone. No Seva Dal

member gets tired or complains of hard work. He never aspires for any fruits

for his service.

He is a silent worker and never projects himself. You can not only see but feel

the saying ‘Service to Man is Service to God’ when you see the Sevadals at

work. “Every Doctor, Nurse and Volunteer Behaved as if They Were My Family”

– Dr. Pai, Former Patient. Dr. Y V Pai, a retired IAS officer recalling his

hospitalization says, “The most striking difference between SSSIHMS and

other hospitals is the quality of people – doctors, paramedics and volunteers.

They are not only skilful practitioners but have a rare quality of affection

and cooperation and yet firmness when called for. They all seem to be tiny yet

significant fragments of the towering figure – Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba.

People here make you feel so much at home that I told my family not to send an

attendant. Of course, my request was not taken seriously. There was no need for

anyone to be with me because every doctor, nurse, ward boy and volunteer behaved

as if they were my family.” A patient recovering in

ICU SAI REHABILITATION PROGRAMME AND PATIENT CARE One very unique facet of

patient care in this “Home of a Hospital” is that the volunteers and staff of

the Hospital never forget the poor patients even after they are discharged.

Like their own family member they are always welcomed and are given privilege

and priority for consultation in subsequent visits to the Hospital. But this is

not all. The Hospital was not satisfied with this….they wanted to take their

care and concern beyond the walls of the Hospital…to their patient’s town and

village! And thus, about 6 months ago was born the “Sai Rehabilitation

Programme”. Now poor Ramaiah need not feel lonely when he returns home after

his operation. No more fears and doubts – “What if things do not go right when

I am at home? Who will guide me? Sai Baba’s Hospital is so far away. Who will

hold my hand now and help me regain my health?” Under the Sai Rehabilitation

Programme, the patient is always under the Hospital's umbrella and will be

under the care of Sai volunteers who are present in every corner of India. The

programme was planned and launched as a pilot project in Karnataka State on 17th

July 2004 by the Hospital which has partnered with the Sri Sathya Sai Seva

Organisation (SSSSO) of Karnataka. The programme in Karnataka will be a working

model which eventually will be replicated in all the other States of India.

The programme’s importance and appeal grew within days of its implementation,

because the majority of the patients, who are illiterate and have poor economic

status, need to be educated and motivated to follow a disciplined rehabilitation

routine after a major surgery or intervention. This discipline is imperative for

the patient to benefit from the free surgery done at the Hospital in the long

term. The Sri Sathya Sai Seva Organisation’s wide network of dedicated

voluntary men and women has only made this project possible and effective.

How Is The Programme Implemented “As a first step in this project, an

orientation workshop was conducted by the Hospital for more than a hundred

district doctors and other support staff hailing from all over Karnataka,” says

Mr. Umesh Rao, the Programme Director for the Rehabilitation Programme,

“Presentations about the programme content, in depth, were made by the Hospital

staff followed by an interactive session. A detailed briefing followed on how

the body-mind checkup needs to be done including completing the patient status

feedback form as formatted by the Hospital. The take-home workshop material

included guidelines, medical protocols following discharge, and

counseling guidelines for providing emotional support and fostering

spirituality.” Explaining in detail the Programme implementation, Mr. Umesh Rao

who also works in the Counseling Department of the Hospital, says, “The

Sai Organisation provides the Hospital with a list of the district doctors and

seva representatives, who work in tandem as care providers to implement the

programme. The Hospital at the time of discharge directs the patient to report,

thirty days hence, to the appropriate local doctor for the first check up.

Thereafter the local doctor and the district Seva representative take over the

programme implementation. The patient is asked to return for two more

bi-monthly checks to complete the six-month recuperative rehabilitation. After

every check up, a patient status feedback is routinely sent to keep the

Hospital posted about the patient’s recuperation. These periodical checks of

the patients are done in the respective doctor's clinics during their regular

consulting hours. The volunteer doctors also perceive this as a God given

opportunity for rendering Seva in their own clinics!” There is much more

to this Unique Rehabilitation Project than the two paragraphs, so we have for

you a power point presentation explaining everything about the project in

detail. Please download the presentation here [6.8 MB] to know more about this

unique project. BABA’S STUDENTS AND PATIENT CARE Technical Officers -

The Unsung Heroes Yes, it is the loving care of doctors, nurses, ward boys

and volunteers which makes the Hospital what it is - but it is not only them.

There is another group which remains in the backstage just like the

inconspicuous yet crucial group in a great musical extravaganza working on the

sets, on the logistics, the costumes, the lights, the cameras, etc…whose

services are vital and basic for the performance to click. This hallowed group

is the band of Technical Officers, all former students of Baba’s Institute, who

were sent by Baba to premier healthcare institutions and trained on different

operations of the Hospital before the Hospital actually started.

Former students of Baba's Institute working as Technical Officers in the

hospital... It is they who handle all the support services of the Hospital,

be it maintaining the stores, pharmacy and accounts; or, monitoring and

constantly upgrading the IT deployment

in the Hospital; or, refining and simplifying the procedures of the Hospital

with optimum patient welfare as the sole objective; or, assisting the surgeons

in the theatre working as perfusionists; or, managing the crowded outpatient

departments of the Hospital which handle more than 300 patients every morning;

or maintaining all the expensive medical equipment in the Radiology department

and other Laboratories as well as other infrastructure like generators, etc.;

or even doubling up as Public Relation Managers, Administrative Officers, etc.

All of them keep themselves abreast of the latest happenings in their areas of

work and one of them has even contributed a chapter to a text book on

Radiology, a field which he was first acquainted with five years ago, when he

joined the Hospital after his post-graduation. They are Baba’s Messengers, the

chosen Instruments of His grand Mission. In fact, they are like so many wheels

working in clockwork precision, safeguarding the running of the

great Hospital. What motivates these post-graduates to forsake good careers

and work in the Hospital? You ask them and they will say, “It is our love for

Swami and the satisfaction of being a part of His glorious mission.” They

will join the counselors and hundreds of other volunteers and add, “Love is our

tool, sincerity our drug and with empathy we see the unseen hand of the divine

working in the process.” Their essential love, sincerity and empathy is what

makes them stand out and they experience, as they say, the “unseen hand of the

Divine”. THE “UNSEEN DIVINE HAND” AND PATIENT CARE In fact, this

“unseen Divine hand” is an experience which every department of the Hospital

can vouch for. Ask the surgeons and they will tell you there were so many cases

where they thought the patient will not be able to cope, actually survived. And

it happened so magnificently! Take the case of Juhi (name changed). When the

Neuro specialists saw Juhi, a middle aged woman, brought on a stretcher to

outpatient department, they had little clue as to what was the source of her

chronic back pain which only increased when she tried to walk. Juhi had

experienced hell. She was turned away from all hospitals she had visited. “Your

case is too complex with very

low chances of survival, we are sorry,” is all they would say. Then somebody

told her about Baba’s Hospital in Bangalore. When the doctors examined her

thoroughly they learnt she had a very peculiar problem. Her abdominal aorta

(blood vessel) had widened sac-like and was eating into the spinal cord.

Doctors from both the disciplines - Cardiac and Neuro - teamed up to save this

poor lady as the operation was going to be a very complicated affair. Her

surgery was done under hypothermia (temperature of blood brought to levels

lower with ice) so that her heart can temporarily be suspended (transferred to

the

heart-lung machine) by Cardiac surgeons while the Neuro surgeons corrected her

abdominal aorta and placed spinal implants to support her spine. Her

post-operative period was not easy, but when Juhi did leave the hospital, she

went out walking!! When Juhi returned to the hospital after three months for a

follow up, doctors were amazed with the improvement in her condition. She was

totally pain-free! “We are grateful to Bhagawan for His healing grace,” is all

the surgeons say. In fact, the construction of the huge gem of architecture

that is the Hospital building which spread over half a million square feet of

area in just sixteen months is in itself a miracle! Few

thought it was possible. Mr. Satish Nayak, who was the Project Director during

its construction stage says, “Nearly 500 contractors and sub-contractors

gladly bent over backward to fulfill their obligations so that the project

schedule could strictly be maintained….such commitment, one could clearly see,

was possible only because the Divine Hand was guiding them. It was a case of:

‘Without God on our side, we are nothing; with God on our side, we are

everything.’ Dr. Shailaja, MD, in charge of the Bio-chemistry lab says, “When

unexpected things happen once, we call it coincidence; when they happen twice

it may be just things falling in place due to our good luck; when they happen

all through the year, you call them miracles. That is what we in the lab have

been experiencing.” She substantiates this

saying how on one occasion when they felt that a quality-control workshop must

be conducted for the lab technicians in Bangalore, just a few hours later, a

doctor from USA landed there with a CD with exactly the contents on

quality-control they were looking for! Similarly, when they were not able to

programme their sophisticated equipment for a particular test needed for a

patient and even the service engineers of the company had given up, suddenly it

occurred to them that if they could configure the machine in a particular way

they could get the right result they needed and it worked! The doctors could

put the patient on the right treatment in time and then thanked Swami.

Acclamation and Recognition from WHO Thanks to the committed staff and

their devotion to Baba, the quality of the care being offered at the Hospital

has attracted the attention of many national and international agencies and

personalities. “According to a World Health Organisation’s (WHO) Medical

Information Accreditation report, the Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher

Medical Sciences at Whitefield in the outskirts of Bangalore, which specializes

in cardiology and neurology surgeries and treatment, has one among the lowest

rates of mortality, morbidity environment and hospital acquired infection. The

Hospital has also been recognized by the National Board of Examination (NBE) to

admit PG students in cardiology and

neurology for practical training,” reported the Bangalore bureau of

Pharmabiz.com on the 21st of Jan, 2002, that is, after one year of its

operation." Since 2002, the Hospital has been recognised by the NBE for other

disciplines too like Cardiac Surgery, Neuro Surgery, Neurology and even

Radiology. INFUSION OF NEW TECHNOLOGY AND PATIENT CARE The

Knowledge Transfer from Distinguished Visiting Doctors Cardiac

Operation Theatre Apart from the sophisticated equipment and the doctors’

commitment, another aspect which has contributed amply in maintaining the

premium quality of patient care is the visit of distinguished doctors from

different parts of the world and the subsequent transfer of knowledge and

technologies that are in vogue in top-of-the line hospitals around the world.

These experts most willingly join the team of Hospital doctors for short

periods and “bring us the latest technology from abroad, from their respective

countries and institutions. They teach, they help… from their point of view

they are performing Seva, free service. This they do without any

reimbursement,” says Dr. Safaya, director of the Hospital. One representative

illustration of the many is the case of Dr. Sanjay Kumar Prasad. Dr.

Sanjay Kumar Prasad is Consultant Cardiologist at the Royal Brompton Hospital

in London, which is well known for the pioneering work done in the field of

Cardiac Magnetic Resonance Imaging (Cardiac MR). Cardiac Magnetic Resonance

is a revolutionary technology with the potential to change the way cardiac

patients are treated. With Cardiac MR, screening patients to find out whether

they might need an intervention does not need to be an invasive procedure

anymore. Dr. Sanjay spent a week with the Hospital doctors in the summer of

2004 and imparted knowledge of this exciting new field to the Radiologists and

Cardiologists of the Hospital. "The benefit to the patient is that,” says Dr.

Sanjay, “it is much less uncomfortable, there is less risk from the procedure

and it is much safer and at the same time provides more information than many

of the standard procedures and so greatly helps the doctors manage cardiac

patients. In time, Cardiac MR can become an out-patient procedure leading to

improved throughput, increased cost savings and reduced morbidity in patients

as compared to an invasive procedure.” TALENTED DOCTORS AND PATIENT CARE

The infusion of latest techniques and expertise from regular visiting doctors

along with their missionary zeal and enthusiasm greatly improves the skill and

knowledge of the Hospital doctors. Many have received celebrated awards and

fellowships and some regularly publish papers in reputed medical journals.

Dr. A S Hegde Dr. A S Hegde, who heads the Neuro Sciences Department of the

Hospital, is a very distinguished Neuro surgeon and a recipient of Karnataka

Rajyotsava Award in 2003 for "outstanding contributions to the state and

country." Dr. Hegde on invitation is part of cutting-edge projects in

healthcare, the recent one being the invitation by CSIR (Council For Scientific

and Industrial Research, India) to be part of the New Millennium Indian

Technology Leadership Initiative (NMITLI), the largest public-private

partnership scheme on behalf of Govt. of India, to develop high quality Medical

Implants and Development of Gene Chip for molecular diagnosis of Malignant Brain

Tumor. He is also part of the six-member committee appointed by the Government

of Karanataka

to suggest views on improving the quality of healthcare services offered in the

16 government hospitals in and around Bangalore. Dr. Smruti Ranjan Mohanty of

the Cardiac Surgery Department, for instance, was awarded the Evarts A. Graham

Traveling Fellowship for 2004-05, granted by the American Association of

Thoracic Surgery. It entitles him to work in the specialized field of pediatric

heart care in the prestigious Charles Stewart Mott’s Children’s Hospital in

Michigan, USA which is rated “the Best” in the state of Michigan for child

healthcare and fifth in the USA by ‘Child’ magazine. Dr. Mohanty is the third

Indian to be conferred this Fellowship in the last 40 years. A very rare

achievement, indeed! Dr. Anil Kumar Mulpur, Consultant, Cardiac Surgery

Department, has contributed to two

chapters in a text book on "Techniques in Extracorporeal Circulation- 4th

Edition" published by Arnold Publishers, U.K. in 2004. He has co-authored the

first chapter of the textbook with Christopher M Munsch, Consultant

Cardiothoracic Surgeon, Leeds General Infirmary, Leeds, UK and also the

sixteenth chapter with a few consultants working at the Leeds Hospital, U.K.

GOVERNMENT’S SUPPORT AND PATIENT CARE The state government of Karnataka,

the state in which the Hospital is located, acknowledging the

noble mission of the Hospital not only provided land measuring 52.26 acres in

the prime Export Promotion Industrial Park free to the Trust for the

construction of the Hospital and waived many taxes during its construction

stage, but also even now offers huge subsidies with respect to electricity

charges. Similarly, the Ministry of Finance, Government of India, exempts

customs duties for imports of equipments and infrastructure for the Hospital.

The infrastructure, the equipment, the expertise of the doctors along with the

government’s support has made the Hospital exceptional. Add to this, its

soothing ambience and the noble mission of Bhagawan, and the Hospital becomes a

‘role model’ for the healthcare profession. Swami with the then Chief

Minister (left) and Governor of Karnataka in 2003 “It is Not Only a Medical

But a Spiritual Contribution” – Dr. Krishna Kant, Former Vice-President of

India. Dr. Krishna Kant, former Vice-President of India, after visiting the

Hospital way back in 2001, had said, “SSSSIHMS is a wonderful contribution of

Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba. To have a free and modern Hospital for the poor

people of India was

a dream and pledge of our leaders in the freedom struggle. This is a realisation

of (the) dreams (of) Gandhiji and Jawaharlal Nehru. It reproduces our spiritual

heritage. One feels proud after going round it. This can be (a) model for all

the developing countries as well as the developed world. The developed world

has these facilities but not free for the poor. May this example be followed by

others. It is not only medical but a spiritual contribution.” Yes, since its

inception every patient and every visitor has looked at this Hospital with

wonder. After 6,000 cardiac operations, more than 5,500 neuro surgeries, 3.5

lakh outpatient consultations and after five golden years of service, the

Hospital is as dedicated and as committed as ever to serve the poor and the

forlorn. THE MILESTONES IN PATIENT CARE In these five years that have

gone by, the Hospital has also seen many changes, crossed many milestones,

overcome many challenges and been a witness to many eye-opening revelations and

stirring transformations. “Making a Difference to People Who Had Given Up Hope.”

– Dr. Safaya When in the first six months of its existence, the Hospital

crossed 1,500 surgeries, leading newspapers carried stories about it. Dr. A N

Safaya, the Director, said at that time,

“The Institute has also treated 18,012 cardiac outpatients and 10,722 neuro

outpatients. Another 2,000 plus cardiac and over 1,000 patients in the

neuro-sciences were treated as in-patients in the Hospital.” Speaking to the

press on the social impact of the Hospital on that occasion, Dr. Safaya had

said, it is “making a difference to people who had given up hope.”

"Indian Express", 26th July 2002 In April 2004, The Times of India under the

title, “Holistic Healthcare: Hospital Treats 2.5 Lakh Patients” congratulated

the Hospital for the feat and continued to add, “Most of them belong to the

lower income group, and many come in from Nepal, Sri Lanka, South Africa and

even some from European countries.” "Times of India", 29th April,

2004

Who Are the People Most Benefited by the Hospital? Truly, going by the

Hospital statistics, more than 60% of the patients operated upon in this

Hospital earn less than Rs. 1500 (US$ 33) per month and 25% out of this do not

even have a monthly income of Rs. 500 (US$ 11). It is the same statistics with

the 3,50,000 patients seen in the outpatient department of the Hospital - about

2,50,000 out of these earn less than Rs. 1500 a month. “Since inception in

January

2001,” the newspaper article in April 2004 continues, “doctors here have

performed complicated procedures in cardiac and neuro branches, with

state-of-the-art technology. In commercial terms, the cost of treatment meted

out free is around Rs. 150 crore. Lakhs of patients depend entirely on the

Hospital.” Beautifully, the article describes the Hospital as the ‘Hospital

With a Heart.” Bhagawan Baba in His discourse during the inauguration of the

Hospital had said, “We do not have any discrimination for caste, creed,

religion, and nationality. We offer free treatment to everybody. We are

determined to offer free treatment, come what may. Safeguarding the lives of

patients is our main objective. Eschew greed for money; develop love and a

spirit of

sacrifice.” MEDICAL CHALLENGES AND PATIENT CARE It is this powerful

inspiration coming directly from Bhagawan which has propelled the doctors and

the staff of the Hospital to go any length to make someone’s life better.

Some Complex Operations…To Save a Labourer, a Small Shop Owner Mrs. Mohan

Das, a labourer, was shattered when her new born 18-day-old baby’s lips turned

blue. When the

doctor in a private hospital told her she will need over Rs. 300,000 to correct

her baby’s heart and even that came with a 50% risk to her life, she just lost

all hope and accepted her fate. It was at this time that she heard of Baba’s

Hospital. The doctors performed on her baby Arterial Switch Operation

considered as one of the most complicated types in the practice of neonatal

cardiac surgery involving correcting the interchanging between the aorta and

pulmonary artery. Seeing the smile on her baby’s pink lips, Mrs. Das had no

words to express her gratitude on

her way back home. For her, her little one has received a second life by the

grace of Bhagawan Baba. Abdul Vahid who owns an electrical shop in Kotma town

of Madhya Pradesh was a worried man when he learnt that his child, Saniya, has a

very complex congenital defect of the heart—Dextro Transposition of the Great

Arteries, due to which impure blood is pumped to all parts of the body and the

pure blood is sent to the lungs. Abdul could never have afforded the complex

surgery, costing around Rs. 3 lakhs. When he heard of Baba’s Hospital through

the local Sai Samithi, it was like a boon from heaven. In March, 2003, Abdul

brought Saniya to the Hospital. Balloon Atrial Septostomy was performed as an

intermediate step and 6 months later Saniya was operated for Senning’s. In the

surgery lasting

over 8 hours, the defect was corrected, and Baby Saniya having recovered

completely is now in the pink of health. For this free gift of health to his

child, Abdul is ever grateful to the Hospital. Cardiac and Neuro Surgeons

Come Together to Restore Eyesight to a Farmer Similar was the experience of a

poor farmer from Coimbatore in August of 2004 when in a rare display of skills

Cardiac and Neurosurgeons of the Hospital got together to perform yet another

rare and complex procedure, this time to reverse the sudden onset of blindness

in one of the eyes of the farmer. The blindness, the doctors found out was

because of a giant aneurysm (a balloon-like enlargement of the arteries) in his

brain. The aneurysms can sometimes grow to enormous sizes and cause

significant difficulty in treating them. In this case too, the aneurysm was so

large that it was compressing the optic nerves and other vital structures in

the brain. Any excessive manipulation of the normal brain would cause

serious complications, which could sometimes be fatal. Therefore direct

aneurysm clipping, the normal way out for dealing with these bulges, was ruled

out. It was here that the specialty of cardiology also came in. The cross

functional team of surgeons and perfusionists operated on him using a technique

called ‘hypothermia with low flow state’ or ‘cardiac arrest’ which would help

the neurosurgeon open the aneurysm directly, reduce its size and then clip it.

The cardiac surgeons opened up the heart and diverted the blood to pass

through the heart-lung machine. Simultaneously, the body was cooled to a very

low temperature of 18°C, at which the brain would survive without oxygen for

about 20-30 minutes. The aneurysm was opened, reduced in size and then clipped

successfully in a marathon surgery lasting over 9 hours. The farmer,

needless to say, was very grateful to get back his eye sight. The New

On-Campus Accommodation For Patient Attendants Recently, in a move to better

the facilities for the patients, an “on-campus accommodation facility” for the

patient attendants has

been constructed. This was a long-felt need as most of the patients being very

poor, go through untold suffering to get accommodation. The Salarpuria Group

of Companies graciously came forward to build the “Sai G.D. Salarpuria

Foundation Block” and offer it to Swami. The new building located just beside

the Hospital once fully operational will be a great boon for the patients and

their attendants. So far five such complex surgeries have been performed in the

Hospital for complex aneurysms. That success in such cases requires very high

degrees of skill, coordination, and endurance from the surgeons and other staff

is implicit. All of them and many more have experienced the "Joy of

Life" in the hospital On similar occasions, the Hospital, as the Times of

India article in 2004 suggests, has indeed done

challenging operations and complicated procedures whenever required to save a

breadwinner of a family, a young mother, a teenager or a tiny baby. “He

is Sai’s Gift to Our Family” – Thankamani, Mother of an Infant Patient The

sadness in the eyes of Thankamani holding her 18 days old baby in her arms said

it all…Her baby was born with a complex heart ailment referred to as –

Transposition of the Great Arteries (TGA) which involved malfunctioning of the

two major vessels that arise from the heart. Hailing from a family of

labourers, Thankamani could barely provide for her family, so the surgery for

her little one was just an

elusive dream. The child’s condition deteriorated and she was in a state of

panic. It was at this time that she heard about Baba’s Hospital. Free surgery?

It seemed too good to be true. She rushed to Bangalore, nevertheless. “An

Arterial Switch Operation (ASO), which belongs to the higher strata in the risk

spectrum in neonatal surgery was done and two months later,” says Ashwin V, the

technical officer at the outpatient department, “a bubbly little boy walked

into the outpatient department for a review." The smile on his lips and

sparkle in his eyes betrayed the painful-looking scar over his once-defected

heart. The mother speaks excitedly about his first words and his

first steps towards her. Her little bundle of joy is blue no more she says. She

can send him to school, watch him study, play and grow as a normal child. And

then with a simple love and gratitude known only to the very poor, she adds, "We

have given him a name now. We have decided to call him 'Sai Prasad'. He is Sai's

Prasad, or Sai’s gift, to our

family". This institution, literally is a poem in brick and concrete, as

somebody said. It is a poem that began five years ago and will probably never

end. Hundreds of Thankamanis, Abduls and Mohan Dass’ script new stirring

stanzas every day and the great saga of divine love continues….drenching the

hearts of millions with pure selfless love. A love that loves for love's sake

alone. H2H Connects Two Hearts… If the readers of Heart2Heart remember,

in the November issue of H2H, we carried the moving story of a poor student,

Pradeep, from Orissa who was operated on in this Hospital. (To read it again,

go here). Pradeep’s father, a farmer, could hardly afford his education and it

was Pradeep’s perseverance alone that won him a seat for studying MBBS. But his

heart ailment troubled him and made his plans of becoming a doctor an elusive

dream. Since then….Pradeep came to the Hospital, was operated upon and was so

touched that after the operation he said, “I’ve never received so much of love

before. The doctors, the nurses and all staff are so loving. The doctors,

knowing I am doing my MBBS used to give me text books to

read so I do not get bored. I shall forever remember their loving and caring

treatment. ” But the story does not end there! Reading this article one Sai

devotee from Australia wrote to us saying that he would like to help Pradeep.

During Baba’s Birthday celebrations, this gentleman came to our studio and even

took the address of the boy and said, “I will find out all details about him and

see to it that he becomes a doctor.” We gave the gentlemen all the information

and advice he needed. It was a great feeling for us witnessing two hearts

coming together through Heart2Heart! THE IDEAL PATIENT CARE – WORTHY OF

EMULATION A Shining Star….A Guiding Light – Dr. Krucoff Dr. Mitchell W

Krucoff from the Duke University Medical Centre, says, “Like shining stars in

the darkest of nights, Baba’s Hospitals in Puttaparthi and Bangalore not only

live the answer to that question in the free care they deliver every day, but

also as examples of how much God is ready to teach us about the alleviation of

human suffering through optimal medical care. He has built these programmes –

all we have to do is to open our eyes and see…..to the western world of modern

medicine, what blessing it is to have such a guiding

light.” Speaking to the Hospital staff on one occasion, Baba said,

“The service you are performing is a very exalted and highly beneficial act.

Service to the downtrodden, sick and miserable people who are in pain and

afflicted with disease is the

most precious and valuable deed. The work being done here is very sacred

work, and words cannot adequately describe it. So work happily and spread

happiness to more and more patients. Be happy and make everyone happy.” Making

others happy – that is the key. Is it Possible Elsewhere? Many say it is

great that such wonderful Hospitals set up by Baba exist, but it cannot be

replicated elsewhere. It is just not possible. To this, Dr. Safaya, the of the Hospital, in an interview with Felix Wust,

editor of SWISS MED, said, “Why not? The Western countries should be able

to do it. I don’t think Westerners are devoid of sympathy for the people. I

don’t think the West is lacking in the type of people who think that serving

man is serving God.” With Selfless Love…Nothing is Impossible So that is the

crux of the story. If any personality or group can love as selflessly as Baba,

then it is surely possible! For, there is the desire to do good in every human

heart. It has only to be strengthened, fortified and practised; and that is the

great miracle of transformation which silently but surely is happening

in the quiet corners of every heart that has seen Him and experienced His love.

Whether any more such grand “Temples of Healing” stand steady and strong as

beacons of hope for the poor and the forgotten, each one of us can surely

become a guiding light, a little shining star helping many others to make their

journey from discord to harmony, from hopelessness to hope and from depression

to delight! And this, we know, is possible only with love, genuine selfless

love! - Heart2Heart Team

We would like to thank all the technical officers of SSSIHMS, WF - Praveen,

Satish Chandra, Vasu, D V Chandra Sekhar, Sai Kiran, Ravi Kiran, Ashwin and

others - for their active support and help in the making of this article.

Source: Radio Sai E-Magazine, January 2006

Issuehttp://www.radiosai.org/Journals/Vol_04/01JAN06/coverstory_sssihms_wf.htm